Reading an image

2 small characters (?children), one holding a flaming torch, one half hidden behind the other.

piles of scattered armour

blue background

red firey area

The image is telling the story of 2 children on an adventure coming upon a dragon. The dragon may have a special piece of treasure which they will have to rescue or they may just have to escape from him when he wakes up. One child looks fearful, the other more challenging.

The tonal range is quite restricted, all midtone, the colours are largely using the primary colours, blue, red and yellow with some secondary colours, green and purple and orange. There are virtually no tertiary colours in the picture, thus it is a very vivid, bright picture.There is a strong contrast between the hot reds and oranges and the blues of the background. The figures are all very detailed and the background is textured.

The redness implies the dangerousness of the dragon but it is matched by the redness of the torch flare, held by the more courageous ?female character so that you know she will be a match for the dragon.

The dragon is the dominant figure in this image, the children being small in relation to him, however the size of the torch flare is almost exactly equal to the size of the dragon. The eye is drawn in a circle from the red flare to the dragon to the figures of the children, the faces of whom are also bright. The most important elements for carrying the story is the body language of the 2 children. One showing fear and one a readiness to fight or stand their ground.